Copy the data sets elsewhere and INITialize the volume using DSF.
NO! That will make the problem no better and probably worse. If you do a minimal INIT (just VTOC), then the tracks for all the datasets that used to be on the volume will STILL be assigned in the back-store. If you do a medial INIT (write every track), then EVERY track ont he volume will be assigned space on the back-store. What he could do is move all the datasets off a volume, then DELETE the volume from the RVA control panel (which releases the backstore), then redefine the volume and move datasets back. This could be very tedious.
I agree, IXFP is necessary to the management of an RVA, there is no other way to release unused space. Alternately, you can license the SVAA product from StorageTek, more recent version of IXFP.
-- Bruce A. Black Senior Software Developer for FDR Innovation Data Processing 973-890-7300 personal: [EMAIL PROTECTED] sales info: [EMAIL PROTECTED] tech support: [EMAIL PROTECTED] web: www.innovationdp.fdr.com ---------------------------------------------------------------------- For IBM-MAIN subscribe / signoff / archive access instructions, send email to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the message: GET IBM-MAIN INFO Search the archives at http://bama.ua.edu/archives/ibm-main.html